The Poetry of Dave (David H.) Cottrell
The Poetry of Dave Cottrell – from 1970 to present
Waiting for the Train
Dust settling into streams of summer sweat
And pesky flies swarming for a salty drink –
Hot feet tied into unfamiliar shoes on worn planking
Patient silent waiting losing ground to time –
The distant horn that breaks the hot silence moves
The slowly beating heart to anticipating quickness.
A shimmering distant mirage of something dark arises –
[…More…]
Fish and Cottonwood Trees
I remember the smell
of fish and cottonwood trees,
Cotton whirling over the dirt
in the hot, lazy breeze –
Hard boot soles and creaking
steel cart wheels, suits,
Rattling doors half dust, half
glass, heat shimmering off polished
iron and black, pungent creosote…
Child of Tears
Oh child of tears, why are your eyes
Dried so with trails of pain?
Where is the joy of careless play?
Or where the bright young laughter?
Child of tears, who will wipe your face
Or hug you close and take away your fears?
Where is the hand that leads you?
Or where the voice that comforts?
Time
Time is a flame
Brightly, it burns
Consuming life
Is time a friend?
An ally… maybe
Or greedy inferno
What Ever Happened to Albert Mert?
Now on a happier note we see
Chimpanzees up in a tree
Parakeets eat buttered toast
While alcoholic hunters boast
White Flag
Day one:
We went out
Into that boiling hell-hole
Of wind burned
sunswept
mirages,
O Bird
Raise your wings,
O bird.
Your shadowed eyes
shall hide no longer.
Your hook’ed beak-
Your grasping claws
shall race the lightning
in the mist of your
haunted isle.
Small Boy and Farm Life
When you were young on
the farm – remember that?
The world was big
time soooo slow
Dusty roads and cotton
Chickens under the steps
What is a friend?
what is a friend?
Someone who shares hope
knowing the truth that sometimes pains
seeing inside you feeling the aches
joys
fears
sharing laughter and tears
willing to wait till the storm’s over